e h t l l a e v a h e Wher magazines music? gone When other writers and I get together, we sometimes mourn the state of music writing. Not its quality — the music section of any good indie bookstore offers proof of its vigor — but what seems like the reduced number of publications running longer music stories. In the United States, music coverage now often comes in the form of “20 songs you need right now.” Websites offer features that masquerade as listicles detailing “10 reasons you should listen to so-and-so” or brief posts built around new singles, new videos, artistic feuds, and trending memes. Don’t get me wrong — I need music news, and I love a good list ranking ABBA’s 25 best songs, which is 23 more than I knew existed. I also love being whisked away in a story. Music is the thing that unites all people, and immersive music writing can provide as pleasurable an experience as an hour alone with your streaming service. This isn’t a uncommon opinion: Many people I know enjoy reading and writing narratives about
bands old and new. We love stories about memorable tours, obscure historical incidents, influential songs, personal obsessions, and overlooked music, like Julian Brimmers’s oral history of the shortlived genre Chipmunk Soul. We love career retrospectives and indepth examinations of gender, race, culture, and our own identities as listeners; same for stories about lost albums, underappreciated musicians, and personalized political pieces like Ellen Willis’s “Beginning to See the Light,” an important dissection of feminism, fandom, and punk rock. These narratives aren’t pegged to a local show, or built around an upcoming album release or Super Bowl performance, which then highlights an increasingly relevant question: Without these news pegs, where do writers send them? For those of us who will likely never write for big slicks like The New Yorker or GQ, and who can’t just write books about the music we want, it’s very difficult to find nationally distrib-
uted magazines willing to publish unpegged longform music pieces. Many stories are important enough for us to try to tell, but American newsstands are now practically devoid of music magazines. Where did they go? Assessing the state of music writing requires a look at recent history, which can easily seduce you into discouraging nostalgia. *** Magazines rise and fall. They lose relevance, their founders move on, or get revamped or shut down by new owners. Some speak for their generation, then the next generation finds a way to speak for themselves. The internet has shaped how current generations speak about music. *** Before the internet, when people bought records, tapes, and CDs, they found new music from professional music critics, record store clerks, MTV, and word of mouth. This meant that record labels needed magazines to advertise their newest offerings. Labels hung big promotional posters in record stores, and chains like Tower and Virgin had sizeable magazines racks. As music critic Simon Reynolds described that era: “All music and most information were
things you literally got your hands on: they came only an analogue form, as tangible objects like records or magazines.” If you wanted to discover records by the loud scuzzy garage bands that mainstream media ignored, like Nights and Days, you read a zine like Jay Hinman’s Superdope. If you wanted to know if the mainstream albums that just came out were good, you read Option, which ran hundreds of reviews. One 1988 issue I have contains 37 pages of album reviews, five pages dedicated to cassette reviews, and a six-page ad from SST records! “The net destroyed the model,” editor Jack Rabid told me via email. To freelance journalist Annie Zaleski, the hyperabundance of digital entertainment has lessened music’s popularity and cut into magazine readership. Even though Zaleski, who has contributed to Billboard and Rolling Stone, subscribes to the print editions of Entertainment Weekly and Guitar World, she sees music playing less of a role in people’s lives. “There is simply so much media competing with music,” she says. “TV, movies, video games, even social media itself — that music isn’t as central to the lives
of many people, so it follows that there are fewer music-only publications. People’s cultural consumption habits tend to be broader today, simply because there is so much great, creative art to seek out and enjoy — and so much of this art is available online and accessible to more people.” net itself, in a realm beyond the bounds of time. They can just tell good stories. Maybe in the end, most music publications are ephemeral expressions of their time and place, rather than fixtures. Maybe it’s best that music magazines be like the timeless musicians they cover: bright, brilliant flashes that grace the earth for only a brief amount of time rather than overstay their welcome, more Iguanas and MC5 than The Rolling Stones. In 2008, music blogger Jace Clayton spoke with The Guardian about early mp3 blogs. He created one titled Mudd Up!, where he covered music and other topics, including his own recordings. What he said remains relevant a decade later: “Maybe the album is dead, but people love songs more than ever and hold them closer to their heart. That’s what makes this pursuit seem worthwhile.” The same is
true of music writing. The print magazine might be dead, but music journalism is continually evolving, impacting listeners on various levels. People will always hold music and stories close to their hearts, which makes storytelling eternally relevant, no matter the medium. But before music writing can thrive, music must be valued, not just heard. Jason Pierce, of Spacemen 3, put it well: “I mean, now we can download the whole Neu! or Steve Reich catalogue immediately. People can have their lives stuffed with music, but that’s not the same as it knocking you sideways and becoming part of who you are.” AARON GILBREATH| LONGREADS 2018
Clearly, music journalism is emerging as an area itself as a nation of literary rather than musical people Combining a discourse analysis of interviews and of study with an increasingly critical force. How- (Looseley 2003), awarding the music critic little publications, with a reflection on his own time ever, despite the huge number of texts on popular respect. This position was echoed in London, as a club culture journalist, Morrison harnesses music that draw upon music journalism for con- where the music critic was regaled in the face of the reborn spirit of gonzo journalism to discuss text, the study of the field still appears to take a the literary and theatre critics who were awarded the different literary approaches taken by writlowly position within popular music studies. It is higher esteem, often due to the historical knowl- ers working within the UK club scene during the edge (a sign of education) required to understand1990s. Taking as a starting point a stated expectaa situation that reflects the tensions that exist tion that “people who go clubbing don’t read”, the within popular culture discourses and within the the very texts they were critiquing. Music was popular music industries through what seems a considered to be more ephemeral and therefore article weaves its way through subcultural theory common misconception that music journalists are less grounded in academic discourse. Thus, the and countercultural journalism to propose a new often failed musicians. The music journalist is all London press regarded music criticism as a lowly approach to academicism that incorporates some of the personal, poetic impulses of the gonzo aptoo often portrayed as the scourge of the music order of journalism. As a result, music journalism and the later music proach that developed within ‘New Journalism’ of business. This negative view also exists within the 1960s and 1970s. Drawing on interviews with the wider journalism industry where an Arnoldian press developed through an almost separate form of writing and organization (Forde 2003). In editors of some of the UK’s key EDM publications, hierarchy (Storey 2003) exists. The medium of terms of writing, the music journalist emerged Morrison conducts a retrospective assessment of popular music journalism is often viewed as taking the position of either an extension of arts into a terrain that was, perhaps, more squarely the various writing styles that characterized club and entertainment or celebrity journalism, rather aligned with the science fiction fan prose of the culture journalism during the days of acid house than being a form of writing unto itself. Within the fanzine, existing in denial of the restrictive style in the late 1980s, and of superclubs and superstar structures of the news press, where the defining codes of print or news journalism. Similarly, the DJs in the late 1990s, when the magazines Ministry and Mixmag were reputedly selling close to lines are more clearly inscribed, music journalism organization of the music press has emerged is often dismissed as an untutored or unskilled through the proliferation of untutored DIY music 100,000 copies per issue. Morrison contends that while EDM seemed to provide ripe cultural terrain branch of journalism, a position that remains at fanzines since the 1960s. Thus, popular music the heart of the approaches to the study of jour- journalism became represented as an anyone- for a journalistic approach inspired by the gonzo style of writers like Hunter S. Thompson, the facnalism. This presents something of a challenge for can-do-it area of journalism. tual reporting of EDM media ultimately failed to researchers engaging with music journalism. Within journalistic practice, writers working in the Therefore, key to its lowly position in contempo- capture this. Instead, Morrison argues, the gonzo ‘untutored’ area of music journalism are gener- rary journalism is the fact that, unlike other areas spirit spilled over into the world of club fiction, of newspaper print journalism, to engage with such as the work of Irvine Welsh. Morrison’s analally treated with little regard in contrast to the ysis highlights the literary experimentation and ‘serious’ areas such as news, finance, health and and succeed in music journalism does not require completion of indus- vibrancy that has characterized some of popular education journalism, or even the more widely music’s key defining moments. accepted areas of arts and entertainment journal- try-standard qualifications. ism, such as those explored by film and theatre Nunes (2004: 132) argues that, “music journalism Finally, a word from the Editor, Hillegonda Rietveld: We hope you will agree with us that the critics. Although popular music has found space is relatively devalued within both the fields of within all areas of the media, music journalism journalism and culture and quite obviously withinarea of music journalism is as varied as the music and scenes it represents, and that this issue of has remained in this lowly cultural position, the fragment of cultural journalism”. However, despite having stood at the forefront of numerous Shuker (2001) has suggested that music journal- IASPM Journal will stimulate further research at journalistic developments, ranging form the pro- ism and the associated music press is integral in the intersection of journalism and popular music liferation and popularization of ‘new’, or ‘gonzo’, investing music with cultural significance. He fur- studies. In addition to the five articles on music journalism of the 1960s and 1970s (most famously ther draws on Frith’s suggestion that readers of journalism, this issue of the journal shows examthrough the works of Hunter S. Thompson, Lester (rock) music journalism “act as opinion leaders, ples of the breadth of IASPM research, including a Bangs, Tom Wolfe, Charles Shaar Murray, Nick Kent the rock interpreters, the ideological gatekeepers research article by David Cashman on the touristic and others), to ‘cult of personality’ journalism of for everyone else” (cited in Shuker 2001: 83), in musicscape of a cruise ship (edited by Carlo Nardi the 1980s and 1990s by writers such as Paul More- order to argue for music journalism as a literary and William Echard), and an Italian-language contribution by Carlo Bianchi (edited by Giacomo ly, Ian Penman and Everett True. Rarely do writers genre through which the boundaries between succeed in traversing the distance between the music journalism and academic writing on popu- Bottà and Carlo Nardi) on Vladimir Vysotsky’s poetics in relation to Soviet society in Italy, plus ‘pop’ pages into the ‘serious’ arts pages. Rarer still lar music are blurred. is the music journalist who makes the transition Jones (2002) notes with justifiable disdain a claim five book reviews (edited by Penny Spirou). A very by DeRogatis that “two camps dominate rock big thank you to our outgoing Editorial Assistant from music critic to the more revered position criticism today: the two-thumbs-up consumElina Hytönen-Ng for ensuring a carefully presentof cultural critic. The few who have succeeded, such as Julie Burchill and Tony Parsons in the UK, er-guide careerists who treat rock ‘n’ roll as mere ed issue, and for sticking with the journal for four are greatly outnumbered by the sheer weight of entertainment and the academics who drain it issues through their various challenges; without you, this journal would not have been possible music journalists who fail to climb the hierarchical of all the joy and fury” (cited in Jones 2002: 9). The distinction between the two camps is, Jones — we wish you every success in your academic ladder towards the more ‘serious’ areas of the suggests, actually quite blurred: career. journalistic trade. It is useful here to consider the historical perspec- Writers often have one foot in each camp, or mitive of the medium’s lowly position. Music journal-grate between the two. And what are we to make CHRISTOPH JACKE ism’s initial emergence some 100 years ago came of critics who moonlight as musicians (and vice MARTIN JAMES through the gradual interest in music coming from versa)? [...] Where might their camp be, and is the ED MONTANO 2014 newspapers in their attempt to engage with the campfire still burning there? (ibid.) ‘low’ forms of popular public entertainment. With This view, offered by DeRogatis, is not uncommon. Paula Hearsum (2013) notes the tension that little in the way of immediate antecedents, the craft of music journalism arrived without direction exists or ground rules and was considered to be a lowly form of criticism in contrast to the role of the the- In the final article of this special issue, Simon atre critic. This position was especially apparent Morrison exploWres electronic within French culture where the popular press dance music (EDM) writing and club culture journalism. were dynamic advocates of arts critics. 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Although answering recurring questions of a row of music journalists is probably pretty tiring, Wayman is all there and even assures that she appreciates the interest: “I want you to know and I wanna give everybody who wants to know answers. I don’t take it for granted.” Wayman listens carefully and takes her time before giving thought-out and smart answers. For instance when it comes to the strong bond between her and her four bandmates. I think we just decided that we are committed to each other. You have to listen and be compassionate and understanding. That was the philosophy maybe in the past behind arranged marriages. Of course that doesn’t work at times as well. But if your are committed to making it work, I think it could propel two people into getting there eventually. We have chemistry and luckily I do love them and I want to be in a marriage with them. It feels like it’s still just the beginning in a way. Watching interviews with the whole band one can feel the positive and fond energy between Theresa Wayman, Emily Kokal (who are childhood friends), Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa. It’s not hard to imagine that these ladies have an awful lot of fun together. Songs like Disco/very from their last record or By Your Side from the new album pay tribute to that friendship. The latter is a typical unwieldy WARPAINT track – a repetitive and swelling mix of electronic witchery, a bone dry base line and drums that remind of irregular heartbeats.
Jenny Lee Lindberg
‘I’m more and more open and less sceptical and harsh’ But even if she and the others work (and partly live) together for over a decade now, Wayman is aware ‘that it can take years sometimes’ before one really knows a person. There are things that still surprise me about my friends. And I have friends like Emily and Jenny who have known me all this time. And they think they know me, but I have changed and maybe they are even keeping me in their mind as something I’m not anymore. That is a human thing to do and maybe I’m doing that to them too. I had a lot of anxiety and fear all through my twenties. That’s been slowly melting away for the last five years.
I used to be very closed off and now I’m more and more open and less sceptical and harsh. Wayman talks openly about overcoming situations that made her fearful – for instance a car accident when she was five years old: ‘Subconsciously there was this thought that I could not relax because at any moment something very bad could happen. To deprogram that was really hard and it’s still over there too. Letting go and going back to who I was in my natural self is actual returning to a very youthful place in a way and I feel lighter and younger because of that.’ Change and development also characterize the music of WARPAINT. With every new record the band gains more confidence. The initial disorientation between youthful escapism and worldly-wise existentialism has given way to clear structures and consistency. Nevertheless there’s space for improvisation and dreamy digressions. In order to capture the energy of spontaneous jams, they make sure that they can record demos in their rehearsal spaces before finishing the songs in their studio in LA. Heads Up is livelier than the previous records – the single New Song is little less than irritatingly cheerful, pretty commercial but catchy. ‘We like making people move. We just wanted to bring more energy,’ explains Theresa Wayman the unusual side trips to the dance floor. Not all of the songs linger in the memory but the album as a whole develops a hypnotic pull. It’s fun to discover all the little details of the skilfully interwoven soundscapes – deliberately over-ornate like in Whiteout or withdrawn and vulnerable like Today Dear. Emily Kokal’s distinctive singing hovers over the highbrow psychrock constructions like a meditative mantra.
Stella Mozgawa
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Theresa Wayman likes to get carried away by music and finds it interesting how her current mood and also several substances affect the way she listens to songs: ‘Things take on a different life or you hear other things in the music. That’s really incredible and I appreciate anyone who wants to do that and I also appreciate music from a sober perspective. But life is not really sober anyway. I don’t know if you’re ever sober.’
Excited about the now At least sometimes it would be nice to see life through a soft-focus lens that moderates all the frightening aspects of our reality. Yet Wayman still is ‘really excited about the now’, as she puts it, and has kept a positive attitude. There is good change happening even though it seems like things are falling apart. I think it’s gonna get bad before it’s gonna get good. Despite all of that happening, there is a lot of people who are becoming more aware, more kind, more compassionate.
mily Kokal
FRIEDERIKE BLOCH 2016 NBHAP
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AARNA HANLE